Light source assembly for photoprinting apparatus



' Dec. 4, 1962 TATSUO AlzAwA LIGHT SOURCE ASSEMBLY FOR PHOTOPRINTING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 8., 1960 l I H 1 J: J 3 2 6 [I1 I F 6 I 3 U 4 I I I, I .V m, ,.n\ G 0 ii ill! A mw A w A o U s T A T United States Patent 3,066,593 LIGHT SGURCE ASSEMBLY FOR PHOTO- PRINTING APPARATUS Tatsuo Aizawa, No. Miyabayashi-cho Higashisumiyoshi-ku, flsaka, Japan Filed Aug. 8, 1964i, Ser. No. 47,991 3 Claims. (Cl. 9577.5)

This invention relates to copying machines of the type having a rotary light transmitting cylinder and an endless belt for conveying light-sensitive material and the matter to be copied and for holding the same in intimate contact against the cylinder. In machines of this type, a light source assembly which is constituted with a mercury vapor lamp, a reflecting plate and their associated parts is nonrotatably mounted within the cylinder. To this end, the reflecting plate and the lamp are attached to the frame, and the cylinder is supported in a manner to permit its free rotation about them.

In such constructions, the cylinder must be removed for cleaning, and for replacement when the same is damaged or broken, and although the cylinder itself may be freely mounted in the housing without direct connections to the frames, its removal is impossible inasmuch as the light source assembly constitued with the lamp, the reflecting plate, and their associated parts must first be detached from its mountings and connections before the cylinder can be removed. Heretofore, considerable trouble was encountered in making such connections and disconnections particularly in the case of portable printing and developing machines such as are widely used as duplicating machines in small offices where the use is occasional and non-professional. In such case, the user is frequently unskilled in the operation and care of the machine and is apt to leave the cylinder soiled. Upon later use, the printed pieces are likely to be indistinct or otherwise defective.

It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a mounting for the light source assembly constituted with the lamp, reflecting plate and their associated parts in machines of this type, such that the assembly may be easily inserted or removed from the cylinder, so that the assembly or the cylinder itself may be readily removed for cleaning, replacement or repair. Furthermore, the parts are so formed that the manner of assemblage or disassemblage will be fairly obvious to the unskilled user, so that a knowledge of the proper use and care of the machine may be acquired with a minimum of instructions.

The foregoing and other objects and features of the invention and the means for their attainment will become fully apparent from a consideration of the following de tailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 shows, in side elevation, a portion of a machine constructed in accordance with this invention.

FIG. 2 shows a longitudinal section view through the cylinder of such a machine the light source assembly such as the lamp and the reflecting plate being seen in side elevation.

FIG. 3 shows, in side elevation and on an enlarged scale a fragment of the frame of the machine having the cut-out portions therein for mounting the parts in accordance with this invention.

Referring to the drawing, the side frames 1 of the machine are provided with opposed openings 2 having contours which may be most readily seen in FIG. 3. The openings 2 are cut out from the sheet material of the frame and as shown are of a generally circular form except that each opening has a pair of diametrically opposed notched portions 3. Each of the notched portions 3 is flanked by a pair of inwardly extending projections, one

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on each side thereof and each projection is of a generally triangular form having outer slopes 4 and inner slopes 5. A reflecting plate 6 having a length somewhat greater than the length of the cylinder is positioned between the side frames 1, 1, extending through the openings 2, 2, and the edges of the plate adjacent the projecting ends 7 thereof are rounded or tapered as shown at 8. A slot 9 is provided in one edge of the reflecting plate 6 adjacent to one of the ends 7 in a position to be engaged by a latch or detent 10 which is rotatably mounted on the frame adjacent one of the notches 3. A light source 11, which is commonly a mercury vapor lamp, extends longitudinally of the reflecting plate being mounted thereon by fittings 12. A cylinder 13 of glass or other suitable light transmitting material surrounds the reflecting plate 6 and its associated lamp, being supported for free rotation thereabout on rollers or bearings 14. The bearings 14 are preferably of plastic material, several of these being provided at each end of the cylinder. In the instance shown there are three at an end and these are arranged to permit the cylinder 13 to be lifted out when the reflecting plate 6 with its attached lamp is removed.

Since the rounded or tapered ends 7 of the reflecting plate 6 project beyond the ends of the cylinder 13 one or the other of these ends may be readily grasped to remove the plate and the lamp mounted thereon from th cylinder. Thus to effect the removal it is only necessary to disconnect the lamp, release the latch 10 and slide the plate from the cylinder. The cylinder is then free to be lifted from the frame. Thus the removal of the parts may be readily effected without the use of tools or the removal of screws, belts or other fastening means. The reassembly of the parts is equally simple since the rounded or tapered ends of plate act to guide the plate into position as this is reinserted into the cylinder. Without the rounded or tapered ends on the plate and the coacting slopes 5 projecting into the openings 2, difliculty might arise in attempting to insert the plate into the opening since in such case if the plate is slightly askew the square edge thereof would abut the inner wall at one side of the frame or easing upon the insertion of the plate from the opposite side. The use of the rounded or tapered end edges 8 in conjunction with the generally round openings 2 contoured as shown avoids this difliculty since the rounded or tapered ends 8 guide the plate into the relatively large opening 2, and thereupon, if the plate is at a slight angle the slopes 5 will guide the edges of the plate into the notches 3 upon a slight turning of the plate toward its vertical position. The latch 10 is then engaged in the slot 9 to retain the plate in its assembled position. It will be apparent that the latch or detent 10 may take other forms such, for example, as are commonly used as closure fasteners.

It will be understood that various modifications of the invention will be obvious to those skilled in the art from a consideration of the foregoing description of one preferred embodiment thereof which is for the purpose of illustration and that the invention comprises all modifications and equivalents which fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Photoprinting apparatus comprising a frame, a cylinder of light transmitting material, means supporting said cylinder for free rotation in said frame, said cylinder having open ends opposed to side walls of said frame, said side walls having rounded openings adjacent said open ends of said cylinder and coaxial therewith, a reflecting plate having generally rectangular form with tapered ends, said openings each having diametrically opposed notches for receiving the edges of said plate, said plate being longer than said cylinder so that said tapered ends of said reflecting plate project beyond the ends of the cylinder, and externally of said side walls of said frame, and a light source supported by said plate, said rounded openings being sufficientiy large to provide clearance for said light source upon insertion of said reflecting plate therethrough and said notches positioning said plate in the opening.

2. Photoprinting apparatus as set forth in claim 1 including a pair of triangular projections on each side of each of said notches extending inwardly of said opening and providing slopes for guiding the edges of said reflecting plate into said notches.

3. Photoprinting apparatus as set forth in claim 1 in- 5 position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,431,520 Streich Nov. 25, 1947 2,641,980 Brunk June 16, 1953 2,733,644 Taini Feb. 7, 1956 2,921,513 Frantz Jan. 19, 1960 

